IN YOUR OPINION

Letters to the Editor for April 7, 2012

Published: Saturday, April 7, 2012 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, April 6, 2012 at 8:14 p.m.

Know your fellow man

“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.”

Regardless of how the facts finally sort themselves out, the senseless death of Trayvon Martin will always be a tragedy. The needless taking of a young man's life by another man only slightly older cannot in any way be rationalized or harmonized. We can only hope that justice ultimately will be served and prevail.

More tragically, this senseless killing appears to be bringing out the worst in many people of both genders and all creeds and colors. The acts and motivations (whatever they were) of an individual are now being attributed to people of an entire race, with the attendant backlash that such a sweeping and unfounded attribution is bound to bring. The only plausible result is an increase in hatred and greater distance between people.

Geneticists tell us that humans, as a survival instinct, tended, inter alia, to evolve to make snap judgments regarding friend or foe, flight or fight. A judgment needed to be instantaneous, as he who hesitated might well be lost or someone else's dinner.

But we are also informed that modern man can, through reason, deal with those tendencies and arrive at more informed, life-giving judgments. If only we take the time to do so.

For those who fear someone due to his attire, let us examine our own prejudices and learn to deal with them. Let us take the time to get to know people, even if they seem off-putting at first, before we render a verdict that may well be fatal and wrong. For those who dislike (or hate) someone based on skin color, let us do the same. Get to know someone before you fear or hate him. You may be surprised by what you learn.

Robert Echols

Ocala

Do more than protest

I had to laugh when I read the letter “Protest overlooked” (March 28) complaining because the writer and all his right-wing buddies did not get the recognition and the pictures of themselves in the Star-Banner they thought they deserved while protesting downtown against the mandatory health care reform. What was even more laughable was when he noted that they were near a very public area, “the local abortion clinic.”

To the writer, his friends and all the other folks who park their lawn chairs there on a regular basis, why not volunteer your time to all the abused, drug addicted, homeless children whose mothers decided to give birth to them? Keep your antiquated opinions on birth control, and there will be plenty more children like this to go around. So instead of sitting at home making posters to complain about folks who don't think like you do, take in a child and make a real difference.

M. Johannes

Ocala

FDR's investment

The redistribution of tax money from the rich to the poor is not a one-way street, but there is a rich-to-poor redistribution that paid off handsomely, investment-wise, to the benefit of the country as a whole.

When FDR's administration used a lot of tax money to build dams, create lakes and help bring water, an electric grid and air conditioning to the southern states, manufacturers came in, hundreds of thousands of jobs were created by the government to build and maintain military bases throughout the South, ports and canals were built, railroads were extended, and airports were built. Retirees spurred a housing industry, families built up the tourist industry, and the South joined the northern states in the 20th century, adding immensely to the tax base and improving the living standards for many millions of its citizens.

And importantly for the quality of American life, it rang the death knell for the enslavement of our black citizens in both the North and South.

Gloria DeMartino

Ocala

Fiorello's favor

I have known Glen Fiorello for quite some time and consider him a friend. Glen manages the Marion County Building Department. As a licensed plumber, I asked him for a favor. As he put it, “Allen, the building department does not allow this for anyone else and even though we are friends I cannot do something for you that is not permitted for anyone else.” He then gave me some options and stated that “everyone in government should be treated the same, friend or not yet a friend.”

The other day he recommended an option to save the city of Ocala taxpayers $55,000. He put the city taxpayers' interest over his own. I know his conviction to do the correct thing, his integrity and leadership skills will make him an asset on the City Council.

Allen Carry

Ocala

To protect and serve

In reference to articles on “Stand Your Ground”, I would like to point out the following facts:

1. Police officers do not draw weapons unless they have probable cause or feel that their lives are in danger in some way or another.

2. They do not make these decisions on impulse. They are trained to think rationally and sometimes have to react quickly doing it.

3. Police officers' main objective is to “serve and protect” our citizens. Unfortunately, we have some people who choose to misconstrue their action and responsibilities as police officers.

How do I know these facts? Because I have had law enforcement officers in my family in the past. And I am proud to say whether alive or dead, they served the community with distinction and valor. I take my hat off to the law enforcement officers of our state and “Stand Your Ground!”

<p><b>Know your fellow man</b></p><p>“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.”</p><p>Regardless of how the facts finally sort themselves out, the senseless death of Trayvon Martin will always be a tragedy. The needless taking of a young man's life by another man only slightly older cannot in any way be rationalized or harmonized. We can only hope that justice ultimately will be served and prevail.</p><p>More tragically, this senseless killing appears to be bringing out the worst in many people of both genders and all creeds and colors. The acts and motivations (whatever they were) of an individual are now being attributed to people of an entire race, with the attendant backlash that such a sweeping and unfounded attribution is bound to bring. The only plausible result is an increase in hatred and greater distance between people.</p><p>Geneticists tell us that humans, as a survival instinct, tended, inter alia, to evolve to make snap judgments regarding friend or foe, flight or fight. A judgment needed to be instantaneous, as he who hesitated might well be lost or someone else's dinner.</p><p>But we are also informed that modern man can, through reason, deal with those tendencies and arrive at more informed, life-giving judgments. If only we take the time to do so.</p><p>For those who fear someone due to his attire, let us examine our own prejudices and learn to deal with them. Let us take the time to get to know people, even if they seem off-putting at first, before we render a verdict that may well be fatal and wrong. For those who dislike (or hate) someone based on skin color, let us do the same. Get to know someone before you fear or hate him. You may be surprised by what you learn.</p><p><i>Robert Echols</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>Do more than protest</b></p><p>I had to laugh when I read the letter “Protest overlooked” (March 28) complaining because the writer and all his right-wing buddies did not get the recognition and the pictures of themselves in the Star-Banner they thought they deserved while protesting downtown against the mandatory health care reform. What was even more laughable was when he noted that they were near a very public area, “the local abortion clinic.”</p><p>To the writer, his friends and all the other folks who park their lawn chairs there on a regular basis, why not volunteer your time to all the abused, drug addicted, homeless children whose mothers decided to give birth to them? Keep your antiquated opinions on birth control, and there will be plenty more children like this to go around. So instead of sitting at home making posters to complain about folks who don't think like you do, take in a child and make a real difference.</p><p><i>M. Johannes</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>FDR's investment</b></p><p>The redistribution of tax money from the rich to the poor is not a one-way street, but there is a rich-to-poor redistribution that paid off handsomely, investment-wise, to the benefit of the country as a whole.</p><p>When FDR's administration used a lot of tax money to build dams, create lakes and help bring water, an electric grid and air conditioning to the southern states, manufacturers came in, hundreds of thousands of jobs were created by the government to build and maintain military bases throughout the South, ports and canals were built, railroads were extended, and airports were built. Retirees spurred a housing industry, families built up the tourist industry, and the South joined the northern states in the 20th century, adding immensely to the tax base and improving the living standards for many millions of its citizens.</p><p>And importantly for the quality of American life, it rang the death knell for the enslavement of our black citizens in both the North and South.</p><p><i>Gloria DeMartino</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>Fiorello's favor</b></p><p>I have known Glen Fiorello for quite some time and consider him a friend. Glen manages the Marion County Building Department. As a licensed plumber, I asked him for a favor. As he put it, “Allen, the building department does not allow this for anyone else and even though we are friends I cannot do something for you that is not permitted for anyone else.” He then gave me some options and stated that “everyone in government should be treated the same, friend or not yet a friend.”</p><p>The other day he recommended an option to save the city of Ocala taxpayers $55,000. He put the city taxpayers' interest over his own. I know his conviction to do the correct thing, his integrity and leadership skills will make him an asset on the City Council.</p><p><i>Allen Carry</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>To protect and serve</b></p><p>In reference to articles on “Stand Your Ground”, I would like to point out the following facts:</p><p>1. Police officers do not draw weapons unless they have probable cause or feel that their lives are in danger in some way or another.</p><p>2. They do not make these decisions on impulse. They are trained to think rationally and sometimes have to react quickly doing it.</p><p>3. Police officers' main objective is to “serve and protect” our citizens. Unfortunately, we have some people who choose to misconstrue their action and responsibilities as police officers.</p><p>How do I know these facts? Because I have had law enforcement officers in my family in the past. And I am proud to say whether alive or dead, they served the community with distinction and valor. I take my hat off to the law enforcement officers of our state and “Stand Your Ground!”</p><p><i>James Frazier</p><p>Ocala</i></p>